10 benefits of academic writing retreats

Aug 10, 2022

Here’s something I didn’t realize until I was playing with the idea of hosting our own in-person writing retreat… There are scholars who study and publish research on academic writing retreats.

One of the most well-known researchers in this field is Rowena Murray, professor of education at the University of the West of Scotland. Dr. Murray defines a writing retreat as "a total immersion experience, writing support and mentoring, focused engagement in the writing experience and a community of practice and reflexivity".

Writing retreats typically offer fixed blocks of time dedicated to concentrated and distraction free writing. My company Write the Damn Dissertation is hosting "The Empowered Writing Retreat" in October, and was designed based on the work of Dr. Rowena Murray. It also includes a private 1:1 goal setting meeting prior to the retreat, and support during the retreat.

The Empowered Writing Retreat follows Dr. Murray's structure, and is based on...

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How I spent the better part of a day... a glimpse of what it's like to move through life with ADD

Oct 24, 2021
This post is for all of the women chasing dreams and who also have ADD (attention deficit disorder),
or maybe you have a friend who does,
or maybe you love someone who does.
ADD looks different in everyone, and there are several different types.
The following blog post is my experience moving through the day.
 
I'm a wife, I'm a mom, I am a daughter, a friend, and a successful business owner.
I have ADD and despite my messy journey to get there, I was also able to finish my doctoral dissertation and become Dr. Amy Boyd.
If you identify in some way with feeling different than everyone else,
I am sending you so much love.
I see you.
 
I'm grateful for the many gifts provided to me by being neurodivergent. 
I would also love to hear from you, for you to share your gifts or "superpowers" in the comments.
 
Some background on why I wrote this:
"Mastering Time" is the monthly coaching theme for the women enrolled in my "Stuck to Unstoppable Alumni...
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TEN Secrets to be WILDLY Productive in Writing Your Dissertation

May 20, 2021
Hello Hello!
 
Don't you just LOVE new beginnings and clean slates? The world is starting to open up again after the global pandemic. As we approach the summer, we have a great opportunity to start fresh and be insanely productive over the summer months. 
 
This is especially important if you left 2020 feeling stuck... like there are not enough hours in the day with competing roles and priorities working full time, being a mom, wife, friend, daughter, aunt... setting out with good intentions to work on the dissertation but feeling pulled in a million directions after being in lockdown for over a year and summer events for your 8-year old are re-scheduled yet again. (Isn't that the worst?)
 
It is no fun when you feel like you hardly have time to get dinner together, let alone work on your dissertation. If you are like I was... the woman who has multiple identities and juggling priorities that seem to never end, I have some refreshing news for...
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STOP setting aside a whole weekend day to "work" on your dissertation

Apr 22, 2021
Hello, Beautiful.
 
If you haven't heard of Brooke Castillo and The Life Coach School and you LOVE podcasts, hers is the one I highly recommend to everyone I know looking to create a life of their dreams. Her podcast is one that I look forward to every week, and the concepts she teaches inspired me to become one of her certified Life Coaches. Seriously... her teachings are mind-blowing and based on universal truths. The following blog post is based on her teachings. Please check her out if you enjoy the concepts discussed here.
 
Have you ever blocked aside an entire day to write your dissertation? Do you do this on the regular?
If you have, then STOP doing it.
 
If you are the type of Doc student who will avoid writing daily during the week and clear an entire day to write on the weekend so that you can catch up on what you were not able to get done during the week, I want you to lean in while I drop this truth bomb on you.
 
All with LOVE, of course...
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